back hits the brick wall, glossed lips dragging up my neck, tasting, teasing, settling over my mouth as her hands trail up my chest, across my shoulders, diving into my hair. Her tongue is hot and desperate, her tits pressing against my chest.
Fuck. I try to be in the moment with her. I try to ignore the setting. Try to forget an annoying little girl who still hasn’t grown into the woman she will become.
But you can’t will your body to respond when it doesn’t want to.
While Regina is hot and heavy in a seedy back alley that smells as filthy and dirty as what she’s trying to accomplish, I am boarding a plane to another country.
Regina’s hand slips down to grip my cock, her eyes opening as her mouth pulls away from me, a funny grin curling her lips.
Our eyes lock, and disappointment floods her expression.
“Let me guess: This is the first time this has ever happened?”
She pulls her hand away from my flaccid, uninterested dick.
A pained groan crawls up my throat, my head falling back against the brick. “I wish I could say that. You have no fucking idea how bad I wish I could say that.”
Adeline has ruined me, and I’ve only touched her once.
Stepping back, Regina cocks her head to the side, grinning. “They have little blue pills that will help, you know?”
Okay, now that is just offensive. “That’s not the problem.”
Her lips purse, a knowing glimmer behind green eyes. “Ah. I get it. Who is she?”
Holding my stare, Regina stumbles a little on her stiletto heels.
“I’m doesn’t matter. She’s gone.”
“Dead?”
“Married. On her honeymoon as we speak,” I answer, tugging my cuffs into place and brushing a hand down my shirt to smooth the wrinkles. Why I’m even telling her this, I don’t know.
A quiet laugh.
“She must be something else to have options better than you.”
“She never knew me. I wouldn’t let her.”
It’s as pretty a picture as I can paint of the truth. Regina is free to take it as she wants.
“So, you just let her get away, huh? Dumb move.”
Why am I even having this conversation? I need to take a contract. Kill something. Forget I know Adeline Kane so I can steal my life back.
“Yeah, well, we should get inside. Sorry for wasting your time.”
Before I can move away, she flattens her palm against my chest.
“I think you need some female advice.”
My eyes slide her direction, teeth grinding.
“Don’t hate me for saying this, but marriage isn’t forever. I should know. I’m barely thirty and have been divorced three times.”
Those are statistics probably best kept to herself.
I attempt to step away again, and she presses closer to me.
“I’ll let you in on a secret, Ari. Women can be fickle creatures. And while most of us will never admit it, we want to be chased. I don’t know your story -“
No, she doesn’t. She’d probably call the cops if she did...
“- but if you ask me -“
I didn’t.
“- you might think you’re done with whoever this woman is, but you’re not.”
Her gaze flicks to my crotch.
“Your body already knows it. Might as well accept it and do what needs to be done.”
What is this woman suggesting?
“She’s married,” I remind her, the argument made to her, but more to myself. I want Adeline gone. I need her gone. So why is this process so fucking hard?
Another quiet laugh before she lets me move past her toward the door.
Stepping up behind me, she speaks on a low voice.
“Yeah, so was I. And look what that got me.”
Pulling the door open, I ignore what she said. I’m letting Adeline go. I’m retiring my hoodie and stopping the bullshit stalking.
Don’t ask me why the first thing I do when we reach the table is order another drink and pull out my phone.
Don’t even dare try to judge me for flicking a thumb across the screen to check Adeline’s flight schedule.
Ari
One Month Post Marriage:
I move through my penthouse with a long-legged stride, my tux jacket tossed over the back of the sofa, my chin arching up as I button the collar of my white shirt before tying the ends of the black bow tie.
Outside the windows, the sun is setting, lights in the distant buildings flickering on like so many fireflies against the twilight. The usual symphony of rush hour traffic is muted beneath me, the jam of tires against concrete and cars honking.
Turning, I reach for my jacket to pull it on, my eyes catching the orange and pink